Counter mechanism



GNTER MECHANISM Filed. March 2l, 1934 l() Sheets-Sheet l NVENTGR/ ATT OEY.

A, QLYE 2,264,557

GOUNTER MECHANSM Filed. March l, 1934 l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 www Min 'fl MMM),

ATT RN EV.

E. 53m/E 2,264,557

COUNTER MECHAN SM A221 #NVENTOR D .LIE

A. fam/E 2,264,557

CUNTER MECHANISM Filed March 2l, 1934 lO Sheets-Sheet 6 COUNTER MECHANSM Film1 March 2S., 1954 l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 50 1&3/

w IIIII A Hmmm E Y L S A.

COUNTER MECHANISM Filed March 2l, 1934 l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 l0 Sheets-Sheet lO A. SLYE COUNTER MECHNI SM Filed March 2l,V 1934 touted 2, i94i WITED COUNTER MECHANISM Edward A. Slye, East Hartford, Conn., assigner to Voeder-Root Incorporated, a corporation oi' Connecticut Application March 2l, 1934, Serial No. 716,695

(Cl. 235-l44 4i) Claims.

invention reiates to counter mechanisms.

among its objects to provide an improved counter mechanism, and, more particularly, to provide an improved construction and arnient ci counter mechanism adapted to regquantity and cost of a material beleed, for example gasoline or the it Vu ther object of my invention is to proe. .e en improved quantity and cost counter .rascher rn especially adapted to co-operate with liquid ouantity meter of the type used in ll n pumps and with a change speed am cost variator, herein of the general construction described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 623,868, filed August l5, i932. A. still further object of my present to provide such an improved counter operative by a meter shaft and by notable varietur, for accurately regis- ...c output of the pump in gallons, and e accurately registering the cost of any selected output in dollars and cents, irrespective of changes in price per gallon determined by the oi the adjustable variator and irrespecinaccuracies incident to the use of a meter or in the combination set forth. Am ooject ci' my invention is to provide imcocperating, controlling, and resetting suchA a counter co-operating with the with the meter drive and the variator ner as to enable an accurate count to "1 a liquid iiovv and despite reset- .ci' object is to enable the counter a quickly and conveniently reset .sting the counter from fraudulent Inal ulauoo of the resetting mechanism to vary the count. Other objects of my invention include the provision of an improved construction and arrangement of counters including counter units oi improved construction and having improved stop means for preventing overthrow of 'the counter wheels, improved driving connections tor said units. and counters including improved breite mechanism for insuring accuracy of count .ting errors due te 'naci/dash in the drive meter and variator, improved resetting mechanism for the counters operative to reset all of the counters upon a single revolution oi a single operating member, improved shutter mechanisrn and cci-operating reset controlling mecha- ""s d for preventing fraudulent manijcuiation of echanism, improved means costop means aforesaid for prand improved totalizing counter means which are also free from error in the count due to backlash. These and other objects and advantages of my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration certain embodiments which my invention may assume in practice, the same being illustrated in connection with a variator of the construction of my application afore said, although it will be understood that my counter, While especially adapted to use in connection with this particular variator construction, is not limited to use in connection therewith.

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is e, iront elevation of my improved counter mechanism associated with the meter driven variator aforesaid in such manner as progressively to register, as indicated, both the output of the pump and the cost of said output, certain parts of the counter and varietur casings being broken away to facilitate illustration;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the left hand end of the counter casing shown in Fig. l., showing the totaiizing gallon and cost counters and the drive socket connection for the reset member, the variator being omitted;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the variator mechanism, the counter being omitted;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the counter;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 oi Fig'. 6;

Figure 6 is an elevation of the right hand side of the counter shown in Fig. 1, the casing being removed to expose the mechanism and certain parts being broken away to facilitate illustration;

Figure 7 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but with the casing removed to show the mechanism;

Figure B is a top plan View similar to Fig. 4, but with the casing removed to show the mechanism, this View showing the double arrangement of the mechanism suitable for use with e. usual type of pump readable from iront or back;

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view on line of Figure S, certain parts being shown in elevation to facilitate illustration;

Figure 10 is a View of the upper counter part of Fig. i. but with the casing removed to show the mechanism, the shutters here also being shown in dotted and full line positions;

Figure il is a sectional view on line H--Ii of Figure E;

Figure i2 is an elevation partially in vertical section ci one o1 the counters, two of the counter units therein being in section;

Figure 13 is an. end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 12;

Figure 14 is a section on line ill-i4 oi Fig. 12;

Figure i is a section on line l5|5 of Fig. 12;

Figure 16 is a section on line l--EG of Fig. 12;

Figure 17 is a section on line i'l--I'i of Fig. 12;

Fig. 17a is a sectional view on line ila-ila of Fig. 12, certain parts being broken away to .show the relation oi' adjacent units in aero position;

Figure 18 is an enlarged View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6, the parts being in the rst click. position occupied during resetting and the shutters also being shown in full and dotted line positions;

Figure 19 is an enlarged detail of the central portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 18, the same being .shown in dotted lines in the second click resetting position and in full lines in the third click" position;

Figure 20 is a view similar to Fig. 19, but with the parts shown in dotted lines in the ninth click position and in full lines in the position occupied, just before they return to the counting position shown in Fig. 6;

Figure 21 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2li-2i of Fig. 11 showing the reset shaft and one oi the clutch members in section;

Figure 22 is a section on line 22-22 of Fig. 21, the control pin supported on the main reset shaft being illustrated and with its support on said shait in section;

-figure 23 is a section on line 23-23 of Fig. ll, showing the mechanism of Figsl 19 and 20 from the opposite side, but with position of parts as in Fig. 6;

Figure 24 is a reduced side elevation of the upper counter casing of Fig. 1, showing the shutters in process of movement toward closed position and in the position occupied after slack is taken up in resetting and prior to the ilrst click position;

Figure 25 is a similar view with the shutters closed, i. e. in the position occupied thereby from the first click until the completion of resetting;

Figure 26 is a view similar to Fig. 12 showing in elevation a modified form of counter including a supplemental initial gear counting tenths of cents, and

Figure 27 is a side View of this modified counter construction of Fig. 26, within the casing with the additional Wheel shrouded by the casing.

En the illustrative construction shown in Figures i to 25, it will be noted that the same comprises a counter mechanism enclosing in a casing i and disposed above a variator enclosed in a casing 2, and driven both by the variator and a meter shaft 3 which drives the variator and is in turn driven by any usual pump meter` (not shown).

Referring generally to the counter mechanism enclosed in the casing l, it will further be noted that the same includes a plurality of sets of improved gallon and money counters, genorally indicated at d, il' and 5, ii', respectively, and adapted, respectively, to register progressively throughout each filling operation the number of gallons passing through the meter and the cost of the same at the price determined by the setting of the variator mechanism at the time. Moreover, this counter mechanism herein also includes improved resetting mechanism adapted to reset the counter mechanism at the end ci each filling operation and having an operating member E; while it also includes totalizing access? counters, generally indicated at l and 8, which totalize, respectively, the number oi gallons dispensed and cost thereof. r)Chis counter mechanism, including the above features, is of an improved construction and includes other iniproved controlling and resetting mechanism cooperating with the meter and variator in an improved manner to provide both accurate transactions and total counts, all as hereinafter more fully described.

As the meter and the variator mechanism operate in such manner as to present definite counter problems, the variator mechanism will first be generally described, a speciic description of the same being believed to be unnecessary in view of my prior application aforesaid. Herein, however, it will be noted that the same includes a pyramidal series of spur gears Iii (Figs. 1 and 3) coaxial with and rotatable as a unit 'in one direction by the meter shaft 3 and a plurality of series of co-operating price determining gears II meshing with selected gears in and adjustable on shafts I2 into different vertical positions representing diierent prices per gallon. Three sets of these gears Il are shown, which are adapted to be adjusted for variations of one-tenth in pin and hole connections I3, lf3 and l5, i. e. to indicate variations of ten cents, of a single cent, and of tenths of a cent, respectively. Moreover, it will be noted that, as in my application mentioned, the upper ends of the shafts I2 carry gears I6, 'l and i8 or' diierent diameter which respectively mesh with gears I9, 20 and 2i disposed coaxially on the upper end of the meter shaft 3. Also, as therein, two sets of operatively connected difierential planetary gearing, generally indicated at 22 and 23 and including usual sun gears and co-operating planetary systems rotatable independently of the sun gears with gears I9 and 20, are respectively disposed between the gears I9 and iid and above the gear i9, and act to rotate a cost or money counter shaft 24, which projects up into the bottom of the casing l, and is rotated thereon by a gear 25 and a gear 26 which is rotatable on the meter shaft 3 by the planetary mechanisms mentioned. Thus, with a pin and hole adjustment of the parts i3, I4, l5 calling for a price of any selected odd or even number of cents per gallon, or any even or odd number plus any selected number of tenths, as for examples, eleven and one-tenth, sixteen and twotenths, or twenty and nine-tenths, the meter shaft 3 will always rotate at the same constant speed determined by the drive of the pump, whilev the shaft 24 will rotate in the same direction as the shaft 3 but at different constant speeds determined by the price setting of the variator pin and hole connections I3, I4, I5 then in use.

All of the counter mechanism, including the lower pair of gallon counters d, 4', visible from opposite faces of the casing I, the upper pair of cost or money counters 5, 5', similarly visible, and also the gallon iotalizer 'l and cost or money totalizer S, both of which are visible from the casing end opposite the resetting member il, are driven from these two shafts 3 and 24, while both gallon counters li, Il', and both money counters 5, 5', are reset by the resetting member (i, independently of the totalizing counters 'l and 8 which merely totalise the amounts successively registered on the counters l! and 5 in the several lilling operations.

Referring more particularly to the mounting oi the counters in the casing I, it will be noted that a frame is provided therein in the form of a?, assess? Next referring to the drive of the cost or money counters 5, 5', it will be noted that, while these counters are driven by the shaft 24, the conn nections for driving the same are essentially similar to those for the gallon counters d previously described. More particularly, it will be observed that a bevel pinion till (Fig. ll) is fixed to the shaft 24 below the axes of the counters il, d' and between the same, and that this pinion meshes with a larger bevel gear Bi, similar to the gear lil. lhe gear 8i, in turn, rotates, through a clutch si' hereinafter described, a transverse shaft tlf/l having spur gears 83, 83' (Fig. 8) fixed near opposite ends thereof and, respectively meshing with co-operating spur gears 84, iid at the opposite ends of the counters 5 and 5', respectively, to drive the same in the same general manner as the counters il, 4. Thus, it will be noted that the counter Wheels of the counters fil, d, visible from one face of the easing, will move upward during counting, while the wheels on the -counters il', Ei', visible from the opposite face, will move downward during counting.

The money totalizing counter is also connected to the shait 2li similarly to the connection of the gallon totalizer to the shaft 3 previously described. Here, a Worm 85 (Fig. l1) is hired to the shaft 2li below the pinion 8!) and the axis of the reset member and this worm meshes with a worm gear 85 on a transverse shaft di, journaled in the frame members 3d and totalizer bracket T3, at the top of the latter. Further, this shaft, in turn, carries on its outer end a bevel pinion 88 meshing with a like bevel gear 39 driving which counter is also preferably ol the same type the counter 'i and similarly enclosed within the casing.

The location oi the several counters t, il', and il, at the corners oi' the rectangular frames .:irovided by the frame members 35, 3S', 38, Sii and and the drive or" the several counters, being determined, attention is next directed to the construction of these counters. Here, it will se noted that, apart from their drives at difierent nds of the mechanism and the reverse arrangement ci the numerals on the wheels li, 5 and fl', 5', each of these counters is of the same construction. Thus, a detailed description of one oi the same will sunce for all, references being here had to Figs. l2 to 17a inclusive. As inn dieated in these iigures. in which the counter 5 i" illustrated as an example, it will be noted that f.- ch counter comprises a plurality of operatively connected number wheel units, 9B, lli, and 92, arranged coaxially on a supporting and resetting shaft S3 suitably journaled at its ends in the frame members Sil. As illustrated, these wheels are numbered to indicate dollars and cents up to $9.99 in each of the money counters, and gallons and tenths of gallons up to 99.9 gallons in each of the gallon counters. Further, it will be noted that each counter unit is oi substantially' larger diameter than the average counter, in such manner as to permit the use of large readily readable numbers on the number wheels, and that each counter unit is also of a quite light construction, comprising parts of a light material, such, for example, as aluminum, in such manner as to minimize the problems arising from the large size of the same.

Referring more in detail to the right hand wheel dii shown in Fig. l2 and its associated mechanism, note that this wheel is iXcd to and rotates with a sleeve il@ which is, in turn, seated the money totalizer counter 8,

on the shaft 93 and projects beyond the opposite sides or the wheel 92, while having a shoulder Q5 abutting the inner periphery of a suitably axial aperture in the wheel. As shown herein, this sleeve er! is also provided with a reduced portion St on its longer projecting end on which is fixed the spur gear 84 heretofore described. It will moreover be noted that a series of spaced studs s?, herein four, is suitably staked within the left hand wall of the wheel 92 as shown in Fig. l2, and projects therefrom parallel to the sleeve gli, each stud herein being provided with reduced portions 98 and 99 on its free end, of which the portion 99 at the extremity of the stud is of smaller diameter than the portion 98. On one of these portions 98, a reset paw] l is pivotally mounted, the same being, in turn, normally pressed into the position shown in Fig. 13, and corresponding to that shown in Fig. 14, by a spring iil having one end engaging the pawl midway between the ends o the latter as shown, and the other end wrapped around the portion 98 on the next adjacent stud 91. Thus, the free end of the pawl is normally pressed inward through a suitable slot 02 in the sleeve 9d. so that it may engage with a co-operating longitudinal resetting groove it in the shai t 93 during resetting, as hereinafter described. Further, it will be observed that a suitable spacer illli is disposed between the pawl im] and the gear B, and that the latter has the reduced portions Slg projected therethrough and suitably turned over, or riveted, to form a unit therewith. Attention is also directed to the fact that a locking member W5 is similarly riveted to reduced ends it on the opposite extremities of the studs ill', and that these serve to lx the locking member, number wheel, and stud rigidly together, while a reduced portion ill'l on the sleeve 94 is provided with a notch i055 receiving a corresponding projection on the locking plate in such manner as also to connect the sleeve 94 rigidly to these elements. Here, it will also be observed that the plate 585 is provided with a laterally spaced portion m9, herein struck out laterally from the surface thereof and connected thereto by inclined lateral strips H0, and that this portion ll is provided with a single tooth aperture ill disposed inside the periphery of the locking plate lilo and so located as to project laterally into the space between the plate S05 and the gear li for the next counter Wheel Si to cooperate with transfer means hereinafter described.

The middle counter wheel 9i is operatively connected to the right hand counter Wheel 92 through transfer mechanism including a transfer gear H5 rotatably mounted on a transfer gear shaft l, herein stationary and carried on the upper ends of the adjacent upstanding extenn sions 39 on the frame arms 38. Herein, this transfer pinion includes wide teeth H'i and alternately disposed narrow teeth llt, of which, both sets of teeth are adapted to 'be received between the teeth of the gear H2, While the wide teeth are also receivable in the toothed aperture iii carried on the locking plate H35, all in such manner as to cause a usual rotation oi the wheel 9i through one-tenth of a revolution i'or each complete revolution of the wheel 92.

Referring next to the structure of the middle unit lll more in detail, it will be observed that the wheel proper is identic in construction, with the member t2 and provided with like studs Si, and a like resetting pawl ili co-operating with and third wheels which depend on this rst wheel as above described. This improved mecha nism herein includes (Fig. 23) a stop lug |60 inside the periphery and on the inner face oi the gear 33 which drives the money counter and a like lug iti on the gear et which drives the gallon counter li. Further, it will be noted. that the main reset shaft |62 has fixed on the same, as shown in Fig. 22, a collar |652, on which a cri-operating lever li, disposed between i`ric tion discs i163', is journaled and pressed toward the collar by a coaxial tour armed spring disc its, likewise also positioned on the collar @62 by a suitably connected holding collar ltd, all in such manner as to form a friction clutch, the function of which is hereafter described. The ends it@ and itl of this member |53 are also so shaped and disposed (Fig. 23) that they are adapted to provide stops for the lugs |68, iii upon completion of resetting, while these ends are at all other times disposed out of the path of the lugs, improved controlling mechanism likewise hereinafter described being provided to effect the necessary movements of the member itil. Thus, it will be evident that, with the gears 83 and 63 which drive the rst number wheels 92 of the counters d and d, respectively, stopped against overthrow during resetting by the lues ld, itl, the rst wheels Q2 of these counters will not overthrow during resetting. Further, these wheels d2 being stopped and the wheels di being stopped against them by engagement of the parts ll and 35, while the wheels @il are stopped by engagement of their stops ll with the part |35 on the wheels 9|, overthrow of all of the counter wheels 92, gil of these counters and will be eectually prevented. Similarly, the driving gears lit and 33 for the counters il' and fil' being rotatable with the gears |53, the first wheels 92 of these counters will also be stopped against overthrow by the member i853 and lugs itil, lill, while the wheels iii and il@ thereof will be similarly stopped by the ensagement of their stops l3| with the stops |35 on the members 5&5 of the wheels 92 and Si, respectively.

Referring more particularly to the mechanism i'or controlling the member 63, it will be noted that the latter is provided with a downward extension llil beiow its end |55, and that this extension carries a pin l'ei extending longitudinelly of the main reset shaft M2 and having a reduced extremity H2, As shown, the pin lll extends ont under the mesh line of the gears tft so that its reduced end |152 is disposed in the plane or movement of a cam member pivoted at llt on the outside of the adjacent frame member 39. This cam `member, during counting, occupies the position shown in Fig. 6, wherein it will. be noted that the reduced exten sion il? is disposed in the bottom of a substantially V-shaped opening or notch |75 open at the top and having a laterally projecting lug llt adjacent the top and defining an upper limit of movement of the stop member |63 (see Fig. 18) reached 'when the main reset shaft litt is initially rotated to eltect resetting and before the actual resetting operation begins. In this position of the parts, it will be noted that the ends lii and itl' of the member |63 are moved down into adjacency to the paths of the lugs itil and 56| but not into said paths. The member M33 is maintained in this position during the lirst stage of the actual resetting operation, a seganentel cam lll' rotatable with the main reset "i assister shaft tl?, then underlying a depending projection llt intermediate the ends of the cam H3. Attention here is also directed to the fact that after the initial movement of the member |63, the reset shaft |52 is rotatable relative to this member |63 by reasons of the friction clutch ils, Id, etc, As the cam iii is rotated further to the right during resetting, see Fig. 18, it will also be noted that the advancing end of this cam llt' engages a depending tail portion il@ on the opposite end of the cam H3 from the notch il' and forces this tail portion il@ up in such manner as to lower the opposite end of cam H3. This lowering movement of the cam ils permits the reduced extremity i12 on the pin iH to travel from the position shown in Fig. 18, through the dotted line position shown in Fig. 19, to the full line position shown therein, wherein it will be noted that the ends it, ll of the member |63 are disposed in the path of travel of the lugs |50, |6| ready to be engaged by these lugs upon the completion of the resetting operation. Here it will also be noted that during the remainder of the resetting operation, the depending lug |18 on the earn |13 rides around on a round cam surface it@ which is movable with the segmental cam lll and struck on a smaller radius, and extends around from one end of cam lll to the other, Further, the cam |13 with its lug |78 is also returned to its raised initial position, i. e. ready for another resetting operation, by a spring |8| connected between a projection |82 on the top frame plate ftd and one end of a generally T-shaped lever |83 which is pivoted at |84 on the outside of one frame member 3i) and controlled by further reset controlling mechanism hereinafter described, the lever l83 having a pin B85 engageable with the top oi the tail lli! of the cam |13 at the completion of resetting to return the latter to its initial position and thereby permit the stop lever iti) to return during the counting to its normal position, wherein it is out of the paths oi the lugs |63, |6|.

Operatively associated with the main reset shaft and actuated by rotation of the latter is also improved bralie mechanism co-operating with the clutches 6 i E in the gallon and money counter drives to insure an accurate count through preventing an error in the count due to backlash in the drive all the way from the meter and variator. Here, it will be noted that each of these clutches, heretofore referred to without specific description, includes, as shown in Figs. 2l and 22, not only a sleeve |9|| on the bevel gears 6| or lll, and a co-operating clutch part 19| fixed to the shafts |32 or 82, but also a clutch band |92 of suitable material, as spring metal, disposed within the periphery of the sleeve and provided with suitable means for expanding this band to cause the connection of the members |96, lill ln a well known manner. Herein, a member ll rotatable with each member |9| projects inside the member |99 as shown in Figs. 2l and 22, and has a bent end of the band |92 disposed in a slot |965 in the extremity of this member |93, while a coil spring |95, seated in a suitable lateral aperture in the member |93, engages the other bent end of the band 92.- Thus, the coil spring |95 tending to expand the band |92, a normally operative clutch connection is provided between cach of the bevel scars 6|, 8| and their coaxially disposed shafts t2, 821, respectively, which, while operative to transmlt the rotation of the pinions lid and lili, respectively, to the several gallon further in the resetting direction to effect any movement of these wheels. Thus, again moving the shaft lil? in the right or resetting direction, clockwise in Fig. 6, all of the other mechanism which may have been displaced during a reverse movement is again properly actuated by the resumption of resetting movement in such manner that upon the completion o resetting movement the counter is again ready for use on the next dispensing operation.

Operatively connected with the T-shaped member lll'' and operative hy the carri 2li) and lug 2|3 on the member 83, is also improved shutter mechanism simultaneously operative on all four of the counters to shroud and clear the same at the beginning and end of each operation of the main reset shaft |42. Herein, this mechanism includes pivotally mounted U-shaped shutter members 229 each having arms journaled at the extremities of the reset shafts 93 and a plurality of depending shutter portions 22| adapted to close apertures 222 in the casing members 4| in such manner as to shroud all the counter wheels during the resetting operation. More particularly, it will be noted that these shutters 22|), during counting, are disposed in the inoperative dotted line position shown in "Fig, i8, while, during resetting, the saine are disposed in the full line positions illustrated in that figure through improved operative connections to the member it. These operative connections herein include, in the case of the shutter for the counter 5, a link 229 pivoted at 223 to a depending extension on the shutter adjacent the pivot thereof, and also pivotally connected to an extension 224 on the shutter for the counter 4, while this extension 224 is also pivotally connected at its extremity to a link 225, which is, in turn, pivotally connected to the actuating lever m3 at a point below the connection of the latter to the spring |8l. Further, it will be noted that the shutter 220 for the counter 5 is provided with a lateral extension EEB, corresponding generally to the extension 224, pivotally connected to the adjacent extremity of 'the opposite ar'rn of the lever m3, while the lateral extension 225 is also pivot-ally connected at a point more remote from its end to a third link 222i which is pivotally connected to an upward extension on the shutter 220 for the counter A. Thus, it will be evident that upon an initial movement of the shaft |42 in a resetting direction, as member ili moves outward in the notch 2| l, the depending portions 22| on all of the shutters 226i will he moved by this linkage described part way down over the number wheels to the position indicated in Fig. 24. Moreover, as soon as the member 283 occupies the position on the cam 2M illustrated in Fig. 18, these depending portions 22| will be moved through their linkage into the full closed or shrouding position shown in Fig. 25, and, being held in that position by the cam 2 i4 until the member 2|3 again enters the notch 2i l, will thereafter continue to shroud the wheels until the resetting operation is cornpieted. Thus, the operator is wholly unable, through manipulation of the reset operating member il and main reset shaft E42, to clear the counter wheels 4, 4', 5, save by moving the main reset shaft to reset position. Then, when the member 283, passing oil the cam 2id. again comes opposite the notch 2i i, it will be projected down into the latter hy the spring it! and the latter spring will also return all of the shutters their wheel position., indicated dotted lines in Fig. lil shown in Fig.

decies? As a result or" this mechanism, it will 'be evident that an operator, seeking fraudulently to ad vance the count, is not only unable to advance the individual wheels Sil. 9|, 92 of any of the counters 1|, 5, 5', and, further, is unable to see any of these wheels in such manner as to afford him desired guidance in manipulative operations, out is compelled in order to avoid detection to turn them to clear position, since the shrouding of the wheels at any time acts as a signal to his superior or his customer indicating that manipulation is being attempted. This is an especially eiective means of protection for the customer in View of the fact that the average customer, naturally being interested in the cost of the transaction to him, and further being interested in the very interesting action of the counter in progressively indicating the cost to him, makes it a point, not only to see that the wheels are at zero when dispensing begins, but also to watch the operation of the same as they count up the amount which he is to pay the op erator at the end of the dispensing operation.

In connection with the spring lill, it will be noted that the same, acting through' the lug 2|3 and notch 2| l, also serves to turn the reset shaft |42 slightly backward following manual release of the member 6 in such manner as to move the shoulders of the grooves H33 in the shafts S3 away from the resetting pawls ilfl of the counter units 90, 9| and 92. This backward movement not only insures the return of the shaft to initial position, but also effects such a reverse operation of the cam |13 as to insure unlocking of the stops of the lugs iS, |6| on the rst wheel or unit 92 of each of the counters 4, 5, and thereby also releases these wheels for the resumption of counting. Attention is moreover directed to the fact that this backward movement of the resetting shafts 93 also insures that the resetting pawl |00 of any counter wheel 9|), 9|, 92 'which might be about to assume zero position will surely be picked up by its reset groove |83, thus preventing ad- Vance of such a wheel to its l position by the adjacent wheel of lower order as the latter moves from 9 to 0 during resetting.

In considering the operation of the device as a whole, it will be evident that when, with the counters 4, d', Ii, 5 at zero, the pump is started, the meter will operate the gallon counters 4, 4 through the meter shaft 3 and bevel pinion 60 in such manner as to cause these counters progressively to indicate the number of gallons, with the first wheel 92 indicating tenths of gallons, the next wheel 9| indicating gallons, and the third wheel 9|) indicating tens of gallons. Similarly, depending upon the particular price setting estab lished by the pin and hole connections, I3, I4, and I5 of the variator, the shaft 24 of the variator, which is driven from the shaft 3 through the variator, will drive the bevel pinion il!) in such manner as progressively to register on the counters 5, 5 the price of the liquid being dispensed, the wheels 92 registering the same in cents, while the wheels 9| register the same in tens of cents, and the wheels 90 register the same in dollars. Thus, for example, if ten or thirteen gallons of gas is ordered, the pump is stopped by the operator when the gallon counter indicates ten or thirteen, while if a dollar's worth of gas, or a dollar and thirteen cents worth of gas is ordered, the operator stops the pump when the cost or money counter indicates a dollar or a dollar and thirteen cents. Further, during each dispensing operation, the gallon totalizer counter i and the price or money totalizer counter 8 function progressively during each iilling operation.`

the end of each filling operation, also, the operator. by rotating the main reset shaft M2, by the member S. through one complete revolution, returns all o the counter wheels 4, i', 5, 5' to :com position, these wheels being shrouded by the depending shroudlng portions 22! during the resctting ope ation and just prior to the first click mechanisms in the several counters, und these Lrouding portions also only dropping haci; to espose these wheels again when all of the latter are in zero position, i. e. when, on the tenth click, the lug 213 drops into the notch 2l l, and the spring I8! then functions to return the parts to starting position. At the end of the clay, the total sales in gallons and in money may, ci course, he determined by readings of the totalizers 'l and 8, and a comparison of these readings with the readings of the previous day.

lin this construction, it will be particularly notthat an accurate count is obtained, not only as a, result of the improved means provided for preventing overtravel of the counter wheels, but :also as u result of the means provided for elim- 'ing :my tendency to include error in the count e to backlash in the gearing in either train and Whoh is especially marked in the money in including the variator. This last is due to the :act that, if it were not for the action of the orake in holding shaft 24 and one of the elements ai the differential mechanism stationary, all of the backlash of the latter mechanism would taken up during resetting and would constitute error in the next counting operation. Further, as this backlash in the differential mechaoisrn varies within wide limits for different price settings, while the backlash in the meter drive 'n relatively small in amount and substantially constant, there would be serious disagreement between the amounts indicated on the cost and Quantity counters for any given price setting were not for the action of the braking mechanism which eliminates variator backlash and, acting on both drives, eliminates the effects of harlzlash in either drive. Further, due to the aco the brake means and the overthrow preventing means, both herein operated by improved operative connections 'from a common reset opere ing member, agreement for any given price between the several counters comprising nd Quantity counters is obtained, While ng with any indication on the cost and counters prevented by the shutter tive connections to the above mentioned common reset operating member. Attention here is further directed to the fact that as a result of my improved structure, mechanism is provided for insuring the return of the counter wheels, 99, 9i and l2 to zero. the several means, including the reset means, the means for eecting a reverse rotation oi the reset shafts, the springs of different strength in the units si?, el, the means for stopping the first wheel in aero position, and the means .for stopping the subsequent Wheels in 'that position, all here cooperating to insure this de shed return of the several wheels. More particularly, it will be noted that, although the re" shaft initially functions in unsual manner,

/ later automatic reverse rotation thereof coto this desired end aiter the stop .means while the provision ot' a .hof l spring' in ca h middle counter unit than. in ne unit it possible to prevent the ad einem, herein also having improved operavance of the middle Wheel 9| during resetting which otherwise occurs in certain positions of the wheels. Here note that when the middle counter unit is at its 9 position, it is unlocked as regards its transfer pinion and hence, at this point it can be carried forward to 0 by the next higher order Wheel if the springs $25 in the clutch in this higher order wheel are as strong or stronger than those in the middle wheei. Thus, if the count is 597, the resetting movement of 'the 5 wheel to 7 may carry the unlocked 9 Wheel to 0; and when the wheels are moved from 909 at the end of the resetting movement to what should be the 000 position, the reading will be 010 due to the transfer taking place from the lowest order wheel to the middle wheel. Thus an other complete resetting rotation would be required to reset the wheels to zero. This undesirable advance of a 9 wheel is prevented by having the clutch spring of the middle counter unit suiiiciently stronger than. that of the highest order unit to prevent such dragging forward of the middle Wheel. It will also be especially noted that, as a result of my improved braking mechanism, it is made possible to eliminate any discrepancy between the totals of the several operations on the counters 4, 4 and 5, 5', between these totals and the sums shown by the totallzers l and 8. and arising from successive resetting operations due to backlash in the several drives, which discrepancy, Without the use of my improved construction, amounts to a very Substan" tial total. Moreover, the resetting mechanism is rugged and effective even when abusively operated and also provided with such safeguards as to prevent tampering on th'e part of the operators, while being quickly and conveniently operated. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

In Figs. 26 and 27, I have illustrated a modined price counter construction which may be used if desired to count tenths of cents and step the unit 92 along by impulses. This construction is essentially similar to that previously described, save that it includes an additional counter unit or wheel indicated at 230, similar to the unit 92 and provided with additional transfer means 23|. Herein, this counter Wheel 230 is not provided with numbers on its surface or visible from the exterior of the casing, although it of course may be suitably graduated and visible, if desired. Here, further, it will also be understood that With such a construction, the initial gearing will be increased as, for example, by l0 to 1, and that the unit next adjacent the unit 230, herein indicated at 232, will correspond in construction to the unit 9i, rather than to the unit 92 described in this application, While the other units 233 and 234 will be identical with the unit 232. Obviously also, the operation of the mechanism will be essentially similar to that described save that the wheel 238 will index the cents wheel 232 just as the present cents wheel indexes the ten cents Wheel. While this additional wheel 230 may be made visible under certain conditions, this is not orclinarily required, the positions of the number on the cents wheel S2 of the present construction above or below a central position, indicating the price sufficiently accurately for usual purposes. It will of course be evident that this same impulse drive may he added to the quantity count ers ii desired.

While have in this application specifically described these embodiments of my invention, it

will be understood that the same are used for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a counting mechanism, a train of driving mechanism, and resetting mechanism including a resetting member operative to reset the counting mechanism in a counting direction in all positions of said counting mechanism, of means controlled by said resetting member for eliminating error in the count following resetting due to backlash in said train.

2. The combination with a counting mechanism having a plurality of operatively connected counter wheels, a train of driving mechanism and resetting mechanism including a resetting member operative to reset the counting mechanism in a counting direction in all positions of said counter wheels, of a drive shaft driving said driving mechanism, and means acting on said driving mechanism and operable by said resetting member for holding said drive shaft against angular movement in a counting direction during resetting.

3. In combination, a counter having a plurality of number wheels, transfer mechanism for actuating the Wheels of higher order, resetting mechanism for zeroizing said wheels in the same direction in all positions thereof, and a train of driving mechanism including a clutch connection having two cooperating elements, means for driving one of said elements during counting while the drive through said elements remains operative, and means to drive the other element during resetting of said number wheels while said elements remain engaged and permitting relative movement between said elements.

a. In combination, a counter having a plurality of number Wheels, transfer mechanism for actuating the wheels of higher order, resetting mechanism for zeroizing said wheels in the same direction in all positions thereof, and a train oi driving mechanism including a clutch connection having two cooperating elements, means for driving one of said elements during counting while the drive through said elements remains operative, means to drive the other element during resetting of said number wheels while permitting relative movement between said elements, and means controlled by said resetting mechanism for holding said drst mentioned element during resetting.

5. in combination, two counting mechanisms in side by side relation, each including a plurality of counting wheels, a common driving member for said counting mechanisms, driving connections between said driving member and said Wheels including means for driving the diagonally opposite counting wheels of said counting mechanisms from said member, transfer mechanism for actuating the higher order wheels, and resetting mechanism including a common reset operating member for returning said counting Wheels to zero at the end of any operation of said driving member.

o. In combination, two counting mechanisms in side by side relation, each including a plurality of counting wheels, common driving means for said mechanisms including an element independ ently rotatable during resetting, driving connections between saicl driving means and said wheels including means for driving the diagonally opposite counting wheels of said counting mechanisms from said element, transfer mechanism for actuating the higher order wheels, and resetting means driving said element for returning said counting wheels to zero also during resetting.

7. In combination, two counting mechanisms in parallel relation, each including a plurality of counting wheels, a common driving member for said mechanisms, driving connections between said driving member and said wheels including means for driving the diagonally opposite counting wheels oi said counting mechanisms from said member during counting, transfer mechanism for actuating the Wheels of higher order, and resetting means having operative connections with all of said counting Wheels for rotating the latter to zero position including connections for rotating the driving connection between said diagonally opposite counting wheels during resetting.

8. In combination, two counting mechanisms in side by side relation, each including a plurality of counting wheels, common driving means for said mechanisms including an element independently rotatable during resetting, driving connections between said driving means and said wheels including means for driving the diagonally opposite counting wheels of said counting mechanisms from said element, transfer mechanism for actuating the wheels of higher order, and resetting mechanism having means for driving said element during resetting while preventing the rotation by said resetting means of certain other elements of said driving means and also having means operatively connected to said element for resetting said counting mechanisms.

9. In combination, two sets of denominational order counting wheels in side by side relation having the lowest order wheel or one set opposite the highest order wheel of the other set, driving means driving the diagonally opposite lowest oru der wheel of each set, transfer mechanism for actuating the higher order wheels, mechanism for returning said wheels to zero, means for stopping in zero position one wheel of each set of wheels, and cooperating stop means for stopping in zero position the remaining wheels in each set.

10. In combination, two counting mechanisms in side by side relation, each having a plurality of denominational order counting wheels, said mechanisms being transposed end for end so that the lowest order wheel of one mechanism is opposite the highest order wheel of the other mechanism, common driving means disposed on an axis parallel to the axes of said mechanisms, driving connections between said driving means and said counting mechanisms driving all of said wheels, transfer mechanism for actuating the wheels of higher order, and means for returning said wheels to zero while maintaining the same connected to said driving connections.

l1. In combination, two counting mechanisms in side by side relation, each including a plurality of operatively connected counting wheels, common driving means for said mechanisms including an element having counter driving gears thereon, a resetting shaft having an operative connection with said counting wheels for rotating the latter to zero position, a control member movable during the resetting movement of said shaft into and out of an operative position, and stop means rotatable with said counting Wheels as they approach zero position and engageable with said member in the operative position of the latter during resetting to limit the movement of said counting wheels in a resetting direction.

12. In combination, a quantity counting mech- 

